Vehicle restraint system

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to a vehicle restraint system for demarcating roadways, including guard rails ( 1 ) that are detachably placed next to each other. Each guard rail ( 1 ) includes a housing-like base body ( 3 ) that can be arranged on the ground and a guide bar ( 2 ) disposed above the base body ( 3 ). Each base body ( 3 ) includes a tongue ( 9 ) at a topside ( 8 ). Each guide bar ( 2 ) at a bottom ( 7 ) has a groove ( 17 ), wherein the groove ( 17 ) during coupling engages in the tongue ( 9 ) of a base body ( 3 ), thereby creating a formfitting tongue and groove joint ( 60 ) between the guide bar ( 2 ) and base body ( 3 ).

The invention relates to a vehicle restraint system for demarcating roadways, including guard rails placed next to one another, in accordance with the features in the preamble of claim 1.

A vehicle restraint system is known from the prior art for example through DE 38 27 303 C2. The vehicle restraint system is formed from a string of guard rails placed next to one another. Each guard rail has a housing-like base body which can be placed upon the ground and a guide bar which is arranged above the base body. This conventional construction has posts of sigma-shaped profile in horizontal cross section to connect the guide bar and the base body. The guide bars are welded with the posts and coupled formfittingly therewith via guide mountings. The lower ends of the posts are welded to the inside of the base bodies. There are also embodiments in which the posts are threadably engaged onto the base bodies via support plates and screw bolts.

A comparable vehicle restraint system with refined coupling device for connecting two guard rails is described in EP 1 418 274 A1. A further modification of the vehicle restraint system for use in bridges is disclosed in DE 103 18 357 A1.

The known vehicle restraint system has basically been proven effective in practice. It finds application primarily at construction sites that are exposed to increased hazards and require a restraint capability up to the containment level H2 according to DIN 1317.

DE 38 20 930 A1 describes a road divider formed by a number of base elements which are constructed as solid elements and are produced for example from recycling plastic. The base elements are arranged in a row in their longitudinal direction and are formfittingly connected to one another by a coupling device so as to establish a continuous wall. A row of mounting elements can be placed onto the row of the base elements so that the divider reaches a greater overall height. Guide elements are provided on the topside of the base elements and on the bottom side of the mounting elements for guiding the mounting elements on the base elements. The guide elements are formed on the topside of the base elements in the form of a depression in the topside and on the mounting elements as pin-like protrusions of the bottom side. The mounting elements may thus be placed loosely on the base elements or firmly connected therewith by means of fastening devices.

In practice, requirements constantly change however at the construction site, for example as roadway maintenance progresses. As a result, alterations are fairly often necessary, requiring a replacement of a vehicle restraint system with smaller restraining capability with a vehicle restraint system of greater restraining capability, or vice versa.

It would be desirable for the transport and assembly to be able to handle the guard rails as easy as possible and to make them lightweight. On the other hand, they should have a high restraining capability with high section modulus against transverse displacement when used for its intended purpose as roadway demarcation.

Starting from the state of the art, the invention is based on the object to provide a vehicle restraint system with improved transport and assembly properties and with high stability in the connection zone between base body and guard rail.

This object is solved in accordance with the invention by a vehicle restraint system according to claim 1.

The connection between base body and guide bar placed on the base body is stabilized by a tongue and groove joint. The cover plate of the base body is hereby configured as tongue constructed in the form of an elevation extending in longitudinal direction of the base body in midsection of the cover plate. The guide bar has a bottom side with an open C shaped profile which extends in longitudinal direction of the guide bar and is configured in the form of a groove. The ends of the legs in distal relationship to the web of the guide bar are preferably bent inwards. The tongue of the base system and the groove of the guide bar engage formfittingly within one another and ensure a stable connection which is able to withstand high bending moments as well as also counteract a transverse displacement of the guide bar in relation to the base body or vice versa.

It is possible within the scope of the invention to suit the guard rail string to the demands of individual track sections by increasing the base body by one or more guide bars in modular fashion. The base body and several layers of guide bars can be mounted in a so-called stretcher bond, i.e. offset to one another, whereby also in this case the tongue and groove joint results in an increase in the section modulus. Securement of the guide bars is realized via clamping rods which extend from the cover plate of the uppermost guide bar to an abutment in the base body. The guide bar and the base body can be coupled easily and rapidly with one another via the clamping rods. They can be installed on site.

The invention creates a flexible vehicle restraint system with the use of base bodies which can be assembled to form a string, basically spontaneously, i.e. regardless of the guide bars. Depending on the individual case or demands on site, the base bodies and the upper guide bars can be upgraded to realize a higher containment level. This is advantageous in particular at construction sites, for example when entering construction sites with curved track course.

It is possible within the scope of the invention to erect at first a string of guard rails comprised only of base bodies. In the area of the curve or basically at all such track sections that require higher containment levels, the system is expanded in a modular manner by the upper guard rails. This can easily be implemented on site. Alterations or exchange of a vehicle restraint system and replacement by another one is not required.

The vehicle restraint system is also advantageous when transport is involved because the base bodies and the guide bars can be transported separately from one another. The base bodies as well as the guide bars can be easily stacked. As a result, the available loading space on a transport vehicle or a container can be best utilized. Assembly is implemented only on site.

Coupling the guide bars with the base bodies is realized via clamping rods. The clamping rods are hereby clamped with the abutment on the base body. This may be executed for example by twisting the clamping rod. The abutment is arranged inside the base body.

Clamping rods in particular threaded rods are used within the scope of the invention. The threaded rods have at least one rod section with a thread by which the threaded rod can be braced in the abutment arranged in the base body. Preferably, an outer thread is involved here, in particular a coarse thread. The abutment is provided with a corresponding inner thread. By turning the threaded rod, the guide bar and the base body are pulled towards one another and braced. The tongue and groove joint facilitates hereby the positioning of the guide bar on the base body. Actuation of the clamping or threaded rods is implemented from the upper end. The threaded rods have hereby a rod head which is configured to allow attachment of a handle to turn the threaded rod. Suitably, the threaded rod extends with its upper end through the guide bar. The tongue and groove joint between the bottom side of the guide bar and the topside of the base body results in an added stabilizing guidance during installation of the guard rails.

Depending on the application at hand and containment level, also two stacked guide bars may be provided. The latter can also be arranged in the stretcher bond for increasing the section modulus.

Two abutting base bodies in longitudinal direction can be coupled via a plug connection in accordance with claim 9. Each base body is hereby provided on the one end surface with an insert pocket which is provided with two vertical webs by which the front butt plate is distanced from the end surface of the base body. The base body includes on the second end surface an insertion tab formed by two vertical slots. When coupling two base bodies, the insertion tab of the one base body engages the insert pocket of the neighboring base body. The coupling of guide bars in longitudinal direction may be realized according to claim 11 via such a plug connection. The guide bars are hereby provided also on one end surface with an insert pocket and on the other end surface with an insertion tab which engage one another for coupling.

Exemplary embodiments of the invention will now be described in more detail with reference to the drawings. It is shown in

FIG. 1: a perspective illustration of a guard rail of a vehicle restraint system according to the invention;

FIG. 2: an end view of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3: an enlarged illustration of the tongue and groove joint of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4: a perspective illustration of a base body of a vehicle restraint system according to the invention;

FIG. 5: an end view of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6: an enlarged illustration of a cover plate of FIG. 5 in the form of a groove;

FIG. 7: a perspective illustration of a guide bar of a vehicle restraint system according to the invention;

FIG. 8: a vertical section of FIG. 7;

FIG. 9: the plug connection of the base body;

FIG. 10: the plug connection of the guide bars;

FIG. 11: a perspective illustration of a vehicle restraint system according to the invention, comprised of a base body and several guide bars;

FIG. 12: an end view of the illustration according to FIG. 12;

FIG. 1 shows a first embodiment of a vehicle restraint system A according to the invention, including at least one guard rail 1. Details of the guard rails 1 are described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 10. Each guard rail 1 includes a housing-like base body 3 which can be placed on the ground (FIGS. 4 to 6) and has collision plates 18, 19 which are slanted to the side, and a cover plate 8 connecting the upper longitudinal edges 20, 21 of the collision plates 18, 19, as well as support plates 24, 25 at the lower longitudinal edges 22, 23 of the collision plates 18, 19 and extending from the base body 3 to the outside. The marginal portions 26, 27 of the support plates 24, 25 are slightly angled downwards.

Extending directly on the cover plate 8 of the base body 3 of the guard rail 1 is a guide bar respectively (FIGS. 7 and 8) which has a downwardly open C-shaped profile. The opening of the guide bar 2 is defined by the angled ends of the legs 7. The opening of the guide bar 2 receives therefore the shape of a groove 17. The legs 5 of the guide bar 2 are connected by crossbeams 6 in the area of the groove 17, with the crossbeams 6 having openings 43 in midsection for passage of threaded rods 12 and mounted at a distance s1 (FIG. 3) to the tongue 9. The cover plate 8 of the base body 3 is shaped in longitudinal direction in such a way as to establish a tongue 9 which fits in the groove 17 of the guide bar 2 and thus has a width conforming to the groove 17.

The guide bars 2 and the base body 3 are detachably connected to one another via clamping rods in the form of threaded rods 12. Each threaded rod 12 traverses with an upper end 13 the guide bar 2 via provided openings 30. Coupling points 11 are provided in the cover plate 8 of the base body 3 for passage of the threaded rods 12. The threaded rods 12 are inserted at the coupling points 11 into the base body 3 and braced with a lower end 14 with an abutment 28 which is arranged in the base body 3. The threaded rods 12 have an outer thread in the form of a coarse thread. The abutment 28 is formed by an abutment plate 16, which is secured in the lower third of a base body 3 transversely between the collision plates 18, 19, and a screw nut 15 arranged underneath the abutment plate 16.

Assembly of the guide bars 2 on the base body 3 is implemented by inserting the threaded rods 12 via openings 30 in the webs 4 through the guide bars 2 into the base body 3 and braced in the abutment 28 (FIG. 12). This is executed by twisting the threaded rod 12 via a rod head 13 in the upper end and complementary key surfaces, not shown in greater detail, of, for example, a hexagon socket for attachment of a handle. When assembled, the rod head 13 is flush-mounted with the surface of the web 4 or is countersunk therein and covered by a cap.

The individual guard rails can be assembled on site to establish the vehicle restraint system A. Abutting base bodies 3 in longitudinal direction as well as abutting guide bars 2 in longitudinal direction are coupled via plug connections 31 (FIG. 9), 32 (FIG. 10). Basically, it is also possible to establish first a string of adjacent base bodies 3. If need be, the string can be upgraded by the upper guide bars 2 at sites that are under increased risk and require compliance with a greater containment level. This can be accomplished on site rapidly and with relative little effort by means of the threaded rod 12. Each base body 3 has an insert pocket 35 on its first end surface 33 and an insertion tab 36 on the other second end surface 34. The insert pocket 35 is formed by a front butt plate 37 which is distanced from the first end surface 33. The insertion tab 36 is configured between two vertical slots 38 in the second end surface 34. To couple two base bodies 3, the insertion tab 36 of one base body 3 is inserted into the insert pocket 35 of the neighboring base body 3. In addition, an interlock is established in the connection zone between two base bodies 3 via pin-like protrusions 39 on the second end surface 34 and a recess in the bottom piece 40 of the insert pocket 33.

The guard rail string produced from base bodies 3 is in compliance with at least the requirements of DIN 1317 regarding the approach test TB 21 and thus the containment level T1. To upgrade to containment level H2, the guard rail string is expanded and complemented by upper guide bars 2. For that purpose, a guide bar 2 is placed with its groove 17 upon the tongue 9 of the base body 3 and secured by threaded rods 12.

The plug connection 32 between two guide bars 2, abutting in longitudinal direction, is illustrated in FIG. 10. A guide bar 2 is hereby provided on an end surface 41 with an insert pocket 45 having a front butt plate 46 being distanced from the end surface 41 by two vertical webs 44. The second end surface 42 of the guide bar 2 has an insertion tab 48 which is formed by two vertical slots 47. When coupling two guide bars 2, the insertion tab 48 engages into the insert pocket 45, thereby ensuring a reliable coupling of the guide bars 2. In addition, a screw connection may be provided between the end surfaces 41, 42 of the guide bars 2.

Also the vehicle restraint system B, as depicted in FIGS. 11 and 12, includes guard rails 50 with base bodies 3 and guide bars 51, 52. Coupled with the base bodies 3 are the upper guide bars 51, 52 via threaded rods 12. The difference to the afore-described embodiments resides in the arrangement in the vehicle restraint system B of two stacked guide bars 51, 52 which are braced with the base body 3 by the threaded rods 12. Bracing is realized, as before, via an abutment 28 which is arranged in the base body 3 and in which the threaded rods 12 are screwed in. Also the guide bars 51, 52 have a C-shaped configuration and are open downwardly, with the side walls being connected by invisible crossbeams like in the vehicle restraint system A. The crossbeams have also openings for passage of the threaded rod 12. The guide bars 51, 52 may be mounted in offset relationship to the base body 3. In FIG. 11, the base body 3 and the guide bars 51, 52 are connected to one another to form a stretcher bond.

REFERENCE SIGNS

-   -   1—guard rail     -   2—guide bar     -   3—base body     -   4—web of 2     -   5—leg of 2     -   6—crossbeam of 2     -   7—angled ends of the legs of 2     -   8—cover plate of 3     -   9—region of the cover plate of 3 to form the tongue     -   10—region of the cover plate of 3 to form the tongue     -   11—coupling point     -   12—threaded rod     -   13—rod head     -   14—end threaded rod     -   15—abutment plate     -   16—screw nut     -   18—collision plate     -   19—collision plate     -   20—upper longitudinal edge of 3     -   21—upper longitudinal edge of 3     -   22—lower longitudinal edge of 3     -   23—lower longitudinal edge of 3     -   24—support plate     -   25—support plate     -   26—marginal portion of the support plate 24     -   27—marginal portion of the support plate 25     -   28—abutment     -   30—opening in web of 2     -   31—plug connection of 3     -   32—plug connection of 2     -   33—first end surface of 3     -   34—second end surface of 3     -   35—insert pocket of 3     -   36—insertion tab of 3     -   37—front butt plate of 35     -   38—vertical slot of 36     -   39—pin-like protrusions of 34     -   40—recesses in bottom web of 33     -   41—first end surface of 2     -   42—second end surface of 2     -   43—openings of 6     -   44—vertical web of 41     -   45—insert pocket of 41     -   46—front butt plate of 41     -   47—vertical slot of 42     -   48—insertion tab of 42     -   50—guard rail     -   51—guide bar     -   52—guide bar     -   53—2^(nd) end surface of 52 with insertion tab     -   54—2^(nd) end surface of 51 with insertion tab     -   55—1^(st) end surface of 52 with insert pocket     -   56—1^(st) end surface of 51 with insert pocket     -   57—opening in web of 51     -   58—region of the web of 51 to form the tongue     -   59—region of the web of 52 to form the tongue     -   59—tongue and groove joint     -   s1—vertical distance tongue-crossbeam     -   s2—width of 17     -   A—vehicle restraint system     -   B—vehicle restraint system 

1.-12. (canceled)
 13. A vehicle restraint system for demarcating roadways, comprising guard rails detachably placed next to one another, each guard rail including a housing-like base body for placement on a ground; at least one guide bar arranged directly upon the base body, said base body and said guide bar engaging one another in a formfitting manner through intervention of a tongue and groove joint extending in a longitudinal direction of the base body and defined in part by a tongue formed on the base body, said guide bar having an upper web and legs which are angled in relation to the web and connected to one another by crossbeams in an area of their ends distal to the web, with the crossbeams being attached at a vertical distance to the tongue of the base body; and at least one clamping rod for coupling the guide bar with the base body at a coupling point.
 14. The vehicle restraint system of claim 13, wherein the tongue is configured on a topside of the base body.
 15. The vehicle restraint system of claim 13, wherein the guide bar is configured as a downwardly open section.
 16. The vehicle restraint system of claim 13, wherein the guide bar is configured to define a groove forming another component of the tongue and groove joint.
 17. The vehicle restraint system of claim 16, wherein the legs of the guide bar have inwardly angled end portions in confronting relation, said groove being defined by a width which is determined by a distance between the end portions of the legs.
 18. The vehicle restraint system of claim 13, wherein the guide bar is mounted in offset relation to the base body in the longitudinal direction.
 19. The vehicle restraint system of claim 13, wherein the guard rail has two of said base body, said base bodies abutting one another in the longitudinal direction and constructed for coupling via a plug connection.
 20. The vehicle restraint system of claim 13, wherein the guard rail has two of said guide bar placed on top of one another to thereby define an upper guide bar and a lower guide bar, said upper guide bar being mountable in offset relation to the lower guide bar in the longitudinal direction.
 21. The vehicle restraint system of claim 13, wherein the guard rail has two of said guide bar, said guide bars abutting one another in the longitudinal direction and constructed for coupling via a plug connection.
 22. The vehicle restraint system of claim 13, wherein the clamping rod has upper and lower ends, said upper end being connected with the guide bar, and said lower end being braced in an abutment arranged within the base body, said base body having an upper cover plate and collision plates which are inclined to a side and connected by the cover plate, said clamping rod being guided in an area of the coupling point underneath the cover plate. 